Detah
by Herodotus
Summary: This is the story of a pair of thieves, orphanned at a young age. The story begins when both characters are in their twenties, and a new opportunity forever changes the courses of their lives. *unfinished*
1. Good Morning

_Why am I awake? Wait, what's that tapping? It sounds like... it must be Jacob!_

A disheveled-looking man, apparently in his early twenties, quickly rose from his blankets on the floor. Creeping to the back door of the dark, disorganized storage room, he paused to straighten out his tunic somewhat before unlatching and opening the door. A moment later, the second man had slipped through the door, and the two stood silently in near darkness for a moment.

_Why is he here so early? It can't be later than midday!_

"Detah, you're probably wondering why I'm here so early... feast your eyes on this!" Reaching into the sleeve of his tunic, the dirty-blond man drew out a hefty-looking pouch and tossed it to his still-drowsy friend. Catching it, Detah shifted the small bag back and forth between his hands, feeling its weight.

"Go ahead, open it," suggested Jacob, nodding toward the pouch. Reaching in, the slightly older, brown-haired Detah delicately drew out a string of jewels... then another... then another.

_By the gods! We won't have to steal for months! But... someone is going to miss these necklaces... How did he get away with this stuff??_

"Foreigners... A merchant and his wife, my guess is from Opulens. She was wearing so much of the stuff that I bet she won't even notice these are missing," boasted Jacob, smiling.

"Magic?"

"Not as far as I could tell... they weren't dressed it, anyway. As for the necklaces, I already pawned one. The dealer said he didn't think it was enchanted."

"Looks like this is our big break, eh?"

"Well, I think we should ditch this place... we have the cash to get to Veneficus, at least! I hear there's a lot of gold for the taking there, if you're clever."

_Probably a lot of watchmen, too... Chances are, we'll have a squad of assassins after us for these necklaces, though, so maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to leave this place..._

Detah reached into a pouch at his side, and began fidgeting with the amulet it contained.

It was all he had left from his parents; he had been orphaned very young, and the streets had been his mother and father for the past twenty years. The amulet always seemed to comfort him; the slightly warm, large, red gem bound to its fine steel chain had a soothing effect on Detah. The only reason he hadn't sold it was because it gave him some sense of a history. Sometimes he felt so alone... he had known Jacob for as long as he could remember, but his ignorance to his own heritage unsettled him... he felt very distant, alien almost...

"Sounds like a good idea. How are we getting there?"

"Transport ship, top notch. It leaves in an hour; I've already booked passage. I suggest we find some decent clothes and get ourselves cleaned up a bit, so we don't stand out too much," offered Jacob. Detah nodded thoughtfully, then followed his friend outside. Pausing, he gave the cluttered, abandoned storage room one last look before closing the door for the last time. It latched shut with a click that seemed to express a great deal of finality.

_I don't think I'll miss this run-down old place..._


	2. Voyage

_I miss my old room..._

Detah shifted uncomfortably in his new clothes, glancing around the somewhat lavish room again. Aboard this vessel, amongst these upperclassmen, he felt very much like an outsider. Although he had never particularly attached meaning to it before, that musty old room had been his home - one of the very few stable things in his life. Although it had never been his in a legal sense, it almost seemed like it had been a part of him... he was having a few misgivings about the entire trip. Bored, Detah decided to see what Jacob was doing in the game room aboard the ship.

~~~

Jacob seemed to be in his element. He had the attention of a group of people around a Krys table and seemed to be recounting some extremely interesting story. The aristocrats around him were listening intently, drinks poised midway between table and mouth. Glancing in Detah's direction, he called across the room, "Detah! Hey! Come over here, join us."

_What kind of scam is he running over there?_

Lacking a better course of action, Detah moved somewhat nervously toward the Krys table, noticing that the cards from the previous round were still out. Reaching Jacob, Detah raised an eyebrow inquiringly, to which Jacob replied with a sly wink.

"Everyone, this is Detah. Detah, this is everyone." Jacob broadly gestured to the group around the Krys table. "We were just enjoying some drinks, playing some Krys... Oh, and I was telling them about our little trade network."

__

Oh, so that's how he's playing it...

Nodding knowingly, Detah turned toward the group. "Yeah... we have outlets all over... Opulens, Nemorosus, Sanitas, Custos..." explained Detah casually.

"Anyway, we're starting a new venture in Veneficus, and I was about to ask you fine people if you were interested in a stake in it. The deal I have planned is very lucrative," added Jacob.

_Clever dog... I wonder how much we can scam out of these people... On the other hand, it seems a bit hasty to be making enemies in Veneficus before we've even reached the city._

"You told them about the _deal_? I'm not so sure that was a good idea," replied Detah, feigning disapproval. "Besides, it's probably too high-risk for them."

"Nah, I'm interested," responded one woman, tossing a small pouch of coins onto the table.

"You really shouldn't... I'm not even sure why Jacob told you all. Sure, it may be lucrative, but it's also too risky for fine people like yourselves," warned Detah.

"Are you suggesting that we're cowards?" asked a man to the right of the woman. "I'm in too," he added forcefully, tossing a second pouch of coins onto the table.

_This is working extremely well... At this rate, we really will be able to start a trading venture... heh._


End file.
